


Strategic Retreat

by hurricane



Category: Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Kigolas, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-26 17:53:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/652883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hurricane/pseuds/hurricane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know,” a voice breathed in his ear, the hot exhale forcing a shiver through the young dwarf’s body. “There is an easier way for you to hit that target.”</p><p>Kili nearly jumped in his skin, but he didn’t dare move, not even daring to breathe as a platinum blonde lock fell over his shoulder and tickled his cheek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Стратегическое отступление](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1475665) by [krasnoe_solnishko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/krasnoe_solnishko/pseuds/krasnoe_solnishko)



> This one is also Cindy's fault.  
> It is probably going to turn into a series.  
> It’s going to clearly be AU, yadda, yadda. Set sometime after the Woodland Realm sequence but before Five Armies, obviously. Use your imagination.

There were times when he was furious with his family –his brother especially, that was a given. Fili was quick to irritate Kili in any situation and though they could get on like a house on fire and he didn’t often need a break from his sibling – when they rowed, it was _nasty_.

This time however, Fili had nothing to do with the young dwarf’s irritation. It was his Uncle Thorin who had aggravated him today. He knew that he was the youngest in their company and that he made mistakes – both he and his brother did. He wasn’t a child though, he _was_ reliable and sometimes…sometimes he just wanted his uncle to trust him.

Fili and he often tried to impress his uncle that was true – he was like a father to them wasn’t that what all children wanted? To impress their parents? Not that they were children - _they weren’t_! They were of age. It was hard though, to be faced with the reality that his own blood relative didn’t trust him enough with important information.

He knew of course, that now their company had been joined by the elves, Thorin would be irate. He hated nothing more than offered assistance from the very race who had failed to help defend his beloved Erebor. While that may have seemed to him quite an excuse for snapping at his nephews, Kili didn’t see it that way and couldn’t help but feel upset with his uncle.

He had taken off to a clearing a fifty meters or so from where they had set up camp and taken out his arrows, making a target from a tree a good few hundred yards away. There were broken branches hanging limply from its trunk and as the wind blew they swayed from side to side creating a tempting target.

Shooting had always been therapeutic for Kili, though it wasn’t something he’d ever admit to anyone. It was something he was good at and though it was second nature to him now, it was still able to help him centre himself as he had when learning how to use his bow all those many years ago.

He exhaled a deep breath, trying to push away all the thoughts spinning through his mind, not just his anxiety spurred from his encounter with Thorin, but that of other issues he’d been confronted with recently as well. It seemed though, that some things wouldn’t be so quick to leave him in peace.

“You know,” a voice breathed in his ear, the hot exhale forcing a shiver through the young dwarf’s body. “There is an easier way for you to hit that target.”

Kili nearly jumped in his skin, but he didn’t dare move, not even daring to breathe as a platinum blonde lock fell over his shoulder and tickled his cheek.

He closed his eyes, trying to regain control over himself. “I’m fine. Thank you.” He grit his teeth, trying to ignore the amusement he could _feel_ radiating from the elf behind him.

“As you wish.” The elven prince murmured, for that’s only who it could be.

Slender hands reached out though, contradicting his words completely as he slid soft fingers between the dwarf’s own, readjusting his grip on the bow and lifting it a little higher.

Kili breathed in deeply as he was pressed completely against the blonde elf, unable to focus in the slightest as his hand was carefully drawn back, the bowstring pulling past his cheek as the elf whispered, “there we go…”

He was unaware of firing the arrow at all, only that it hit the target dead centre, with more force than he had previously been accomplishing.

“Now, was that so hard?” Legolas stated amused and Kili spun around to face him, only to find he was unable to escape the elf’s embrace and was still pulled tightly to him.

He tried to draw in a breath but found he couldn’t, his heart beating wildly in his frozen chest. He blinked once, then twice and still couldn’t seem to formulate a response.

His mind was screaming at him that he needed to push the elf away – and now! What would Thorin think if he happened upon them? His uncle would surely be furious and that was not something Kili could deal with.

Unfortunately for him though, the events that followed were much worse. No, Thorin did not show up, but another did.

“Kili! What a-“ Fili stopped dead in his tracks, one had raised in the air and stared unabashedly at the sight before him. After a moment of silence he opened his mouth and then closed it again, looking from Kili, to Legolas and then back again.

“What’s going on here?” He accused suddenly, taking another step closer to the two.

Finally, Kili regained his senses and shoved the Woodland prince away, stumbling backwards a little. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He sent the elf an angry stare, which had little to no effect on the blonde’s amused smirk whatsoever.

“It’s nothing.” He repeated again, pulling his bow back up onto his shoulder. “Let’s go Fili.” And with that he made for the camp dragging his brother behind him in a strategic retreat. He was most definitely _not running_. A strategic retreat was all it was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh I’m sorry, what was the question again?” The elf countered, pulling up a hand to run it through a length of Kili’s hair, his fingers just barely brushing the side of his face.
> 
> The dwarf’s cheeks burned a little and he pulled back quickly, shaking his head to tug the last strands of his hair from Legolas’ fingertips. Surely an elf of the Mirkwood prince’s age would know how inappropriate that action was?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still AU. Still sometime after the Woodland Realm sequence but before Five Armies. Imagination is key!

“What does your father think of you?” Kili had come to know very well what that tickle between his shoulder blades meant.

“What do you mean?” The elf slowly stepped forwards and into the moonlight, settling next to him on the rock Kili had chosen. The dwarf continued to sharpen his arrows for a moment before speaking again. 

“Well you helped us escape and now you’re assisting us against the will of your father. So what does your father think of you?” He turned slightly to the side so he could see the blonde out of his peripheral vision and watched as his nose wrinkled slightly in distaste. 

“I did not help you escape.” 

Kili turned to face him fully now. “Yes…yes, you did.” He tapped an arrow against the rock beneath them in emphasis. 

“No,” Legolas shook his head, “I rid my kingdom of a few invading orcs, at no point did I help you escape dwarf.” 

Kili raised an eyebrow. “Right…” He trailed off, his tone clearly conveying his disbelief. He watched as the blonde shifted uncomfortably next to him and felt a small spark of glee rise up realizing that for once he was not the one feeling out of his depth. 

“Does he even know you’re here?” A small smirk pulled at the corner of Kili’s lips. “Or is this a rebellious phase you’re going through?” 

Legolas scoffed. “Of the two of us I am not the one who is barely of age.”

They were facing each other fully now and though Kili felt that slight a little deeper than he would have liked considering his personal issues as of late, the smirk stayed firmly planted on his lips.

“You’re avoiding the question.” 

“Oh I’m sorry, what was the question again?” The elf countered, pulling up a hand to run it through a length of Kili’s hair, his fingers just barely brushing the side of his face. 

The dwarf’s cheeks burned a little and he pulled back quickly, shaking his head to tug the last strands of his hair from Legolas’ fingertips. Surely an elf of the Mirkwood prince’s age would know how inappropriate that action was?

“You’re trying to distract me.” 

Legolas sighed and dropped his hand. “While I did not inform my father before I took my leave I am sure he knows well where I am by now.” He avoided Kili’s eyes, staring up into the night sky instead.  
Kili finally put away his arrows, returning them to their quiver and setting them down gently. “So you will be in trouble upon your return then?” 

The elf met his eyes this time and Kili saw his gaze was guarded. “I do not believe I will be returning to Mirkwood.”

“What? Why?” The question was startled out of him, slipping past his tongue before he had a chance to consider what he was saying.

Legolas leveled him with a heavy look. “My fathers orders after your company escaped and we dealt with the orcs within the kingdom was to seal the gates. No one enters and no one leaves.” 

“But you’re here.” Kili said biting his lip. “Surely though, he would forgive his own kin?” 

Legolas’ expression remained like carven stone as he spoke his next words. “To disobey the king is treason and the punishment for treason is banishment.”

Suddenly Kili felt like his stomach had dropped out of his body. He felt guilt rise up within him. This elf had helped them escape whether he admitted to it or not and he was still assisting them now even though none of them had made him feel welcome…and he could not go home.

He didn’t realize he’d whispered his last thought aloud until the blonde beside him nodded. “No. I cannot go home.”

Kili felt a sudden appreciation for his kin rise within him. He felt sure, as upset with each other as he and Thorin may be at the moment, his uncle would always accept him as kin – would never refuse him his home and his family. Of that much he was positive. 

“I’m sorry.”

Legolas glared down at him, “I do not need your apology!” He must have flinched slightly for the elf backed off, taking a deep breath before releasing it in a huff. “I have made my choices.” I do not regret them went unsaid.

It was silent for a long while after that as Kili struggled to find something to say that conveyed the guilty yet thankful feeling, which swelled inside of him but would not upset the elven prince.

In the end he decided it was best to just change the subject completely and reached his hand towards the elf’s shoulder asking, “can I see your bow?” 

Legolas’ brow raised and a sly smirk rose on his lips. “That depends…can I braid your hair?”

Kili’s mouth dropped open and that was the moment Thorin entered the clearing. 

“Kili, can we-,” his uncle stopped short, eyes narrowing. “What is going on here?” He asked darkly, throwing a cold gaze back and forth between them. 

Kili shot up from the rock, pulling his quiver with him. “Nothing, uncle!” He shook his head. “Nothing at all.” He strode towards Thorin without looking back, refusing to acknowledge the colour that had risen in his cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And also, um...sorry that this took so long. I kinda promised this a long, long time ago and it never happened, so yeah. My apologies.


End file.
